Lock-nut.



PATBNTBD FEB. 19, 1907 D. 0, MERCER. LOCK NUT.

APPLIUATIOH FYLBD NOV, 28, 1903.

HHHHH Il!!! mummm AKMmm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. DAVID C. MERCERy 0F CHICAGQ, ILLINOIS,

LOCK-NUT.

No. 844,382.v

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 19, 1907.

Appiic'oiim hed November 23,1903. sain No. 183,045.

The improved device may he employed Vupon nuts used for a variety of purposes-- :uch as railway-rail joints and similar strlictures, b'ridgcwork, cars, mills, and other Structures built of wood and which are subject tojars and cencussions --1 but is `cia-lly applicable to riiilway--rail joints and for the purpose of illustration is shown thus np lied-- *igure l representing a side elevation; Fig. 2, a transverse section of a railway-rail joint with the improvement applied. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the lockp'late detached. Fig, l is a perspective view of the notched nut: det ached.

The improved device consists of a ioclr plate 1G, having one or more pcrforations for engaging the boli. l t outside the ordinary nut I3 and provided with radiating notches, as at 14, adjacent to each of its perlorations, and a locking-nut 15. having radiating notches, as at 16, corresponding to the notches in the plato and adapted to engage them when the nuts l5 are engaged with the bolts.

In Figs. l and :d the improved device is applied to the clan'ipdiolta of a r'ailv.faj,f-rail joint, wherein T17 'i8 represents the abutting ends of the rails 19 20, the usual clamp or "fish" plates through which and the intervening portions of the vertical webs cf the rails the clamp-bolts l1 pass in the ordinary manner, said clam `bolts being supplied out-- Side one of the clamp-plates with theI iin proved attacluncnts l() 15, as shown. One of the iish- )lates 1Q is disposed in contact with the adljacent surface ol the web of the rail, while the opposite or mating fish-plate 20 is bowed centrally and spaced from said web, as shown.

In a plying the device the ordinary nuts I3 are hrst set up against the clamp-plate l"19 or 20, as the case may be, and the ock` plate l() placed over the extended portions of the bo ts and the lock--nuts -]5 placed on the bolts and rotated into engagement withy tbe`lock-plate- The nuts 13 are then reversely rotatcd'a short distance, generally` not exceeding about onefourth or onethird of a revolution, to force the notches of thc lock-plate into engagement with the notches .on the clamp-nuts, thus firmly locking the nut-s to the bolt and efectuull preventing any tendency to become loosened, n mat-ter how severe. the jarring and concussions may be.

When employed upon structures other than railway-rail joints or where one boltl only is to be supplied with the device the plate 1U will be provided with means, such as an aperture 2i, for a nail, screw, or other appliance to prevent its rotation, the holding nail or screw being inserted into the bod of the structure on which the bolt is emp eyed, as will be obvious.

The notches in the plate 1() and nuts 15 ma be formed in any desired manner, but wil preferably be impressed therein when these portions of the device are constructed, so as to produce a series of radiating ratchetteeth having biting ed es, as shown. The form ofthe notches may e varied as required, and I do not, therefore,'desire to be limited to any specific form of notch, but reserve the right to such modifications in this and other portions of the device as may fall within the scope of the claim.

Having thus described my invention, what i claim SH.

A` nutlock consisting of a bolt` passing through a plato, said plate having a smooth outer surface, a nutscrew-threaded upon the bolt and having its ihner and outer faces smooth, the inner faces bearing against the smooth surface of said plate, a perforated har having one surface smooth which bears against the outer surface of said nut, thil outer surface of said bar being provided with countersunk teeth radiating from the lOO In tstmony tb at I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afixed my signature x'o 1n theA pisence of two witnesseg.

DAVID C. h/IERACER..k

Witnesses:

EDGAR F. MERCER, GEORGE W. RUGBY.

against rutrution, a lock-nut screw-thrqaded upon said bolt and having its under face' rovided with radial ratchet-teeth adapte to engage the countersunk ratchets of said bar said smoth nut whn reverriely turned caus ing the teeth of the lock-nut and bar to in- 

